Pep Guardiola confirms he wants John Stones and Leroy Sane at Manchester City

during the 2016 International Champions Cup match between Manchester City and Manchester United at National Stadium on July 24, 2016 in Beijing, China.

The summer has been filled with rumors that Pep Guardiola wants to bring John Stones and Leroy Sane to Manchester City. There have been reports of the Citizens submitting bids for both players, but it's no longer just rumors and reports. Guardiola confirmed that he wants to bring both players to the Etihad and that the Citizens are trying to sign them.

"Sane is a player from Schalke. You know, I know, everyone knows we would like to have him but at the moment he is a Schalke player," said Guardiola.

"If he comes we'll be happy, if he stays in Schalke I will be happy for the fans and for the Schalke club."

Sane is a 20-year-old Germany international who scored nine goals for Schalke last season. He's considered one of the top young players in the world and Guardiola knows him well, having gone up against him while at Bayern Munich.

Guardiola knows he has to improve an attack that has Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva to support Sergio Aguero, but counts Raheem Steling as its only pacy player who is up to City's standard.

The Citizens have an even bigger problem in defense, where they struggled a year ago and lost Martin Demichelis, leaving them extraordinarily thin at the back. Their only center backs now are Vincent Kompany, Nicaloa Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala. That's why they have set their sights on Stones, who Guardiola says is in the same situation as Sane.

"It's the same answer for Sane -- he's a player for Everton. Everybody knows we're going to try but I don't know what's going to happen."

City's problems at the back are very real and they can't afford to be casual about signing another center back or two. With Stones a top target, and Everton more willing to sell than they were a year ago, they'll have to do what they can to sign him.

Many people have long thought that Sane and Stones would end up Manchester City players. Now we know that Guardiola definitely wants them. It's just about wrapping the deals up.